Dread to Dare

There she cowers, in the cold blackness, Scratching her claws stupidly on the iron bars, Despair only driving her to madness; Her mind in torment, rewinding ageless scars.

Pacing back and forth in her confinement, She laments like an animal, trapped forever; Tears grace her cheeks as she sobs bitterly with no refinement; Will she escape? they scream, No never!

Some wonder what has she done to deserve this! This torment! This unbearable hell! Still she wanders from one dreary corner to its brother Ragged, torn, and crawling with filth; was she alive no one could tell.

Her ashen cheeks all sunken and hollow But her hopes leaped and danced, but stayed locked forever And that's as far as they got or would dare follow But they were such hopeful little things, one dared not say never So full of life and happiness and just so very whole They wanted a chance they really honestly did Constantly pleading within her quivering soul From the depths of her beating chest to the tears that she hid And from her depths like a foe, they cried, Let me go!

But she could not free their flighty skins No room for their spirited souls behind the cold iron bar No room for them to sprout their little wings No room for them to lift their souls afar She was trapped, lost as a lost soul be So they could never spread their wings and just be free

Finally, liberty at last The iron bars had been crushed Freedom! Freedom! No more bars finally freedom I will hold you fast. But when she crept to the door and got near the ledge, joy was hushed I must jump! No I can't! I must!

Her body wept like a shedding willow tree She began pacing the cage once more, like she had always done before If I go might I die, but if I stay I may be sure to always be Every thought was agony Like tearing up a freshly sprouted field

And her doom prowled like an fierce-some black cat It's evil piercing eyes, her fear stricken face, it looked right at She dare not move, she dare not dive But she could only dare to survive

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